Iowa State’s season has already taken a small detour, but Tuesday’s home game against Southern gives the Cyclones a chance to settle in and lean into what’s working.
At 1-1, Iowa State has split its first two games, opening with a neutral-site loss to Memphis before bouncing back with a home win over Southern Miss. That’s not the kind of start that screams full-blown momentum, but it also leaves plenty of room to get the preseason buzz moving again.
The player who stands out most in this matchup is sophomore forward Tre Singleton.
Singleton has been one of the bright spots since arriving from Northwestern this offseason. In exhibitions and non-conference play, he’s looked like one of Iowa State’s most reliable options, and his latest performance was his best yet: a career-high 28 points. That kind of rise has been hard to miss, and the Cyclones need it to keep going if they want their early-season success to hold.
This game also lines up well for him stylistically. Southern has struggled defensively, and the Jaguars have had particular trouble handling big men, especially power forwards. Singleton has started at that spot all season, and he’s Iowa State’s best option there.
His last outing showed exactly why. He scored with post moves, turned defenders with spins, and knocked down deep fadeaways.
He found the right spots, made the right reads, and used his athleticism and strength to play above the rim at times. More often than not, he was simply the more aggressive player on the floor, and that showed up in the final result.
That’s why a big night from Singleton feels like the clearest path for Iowa State. The Cyclones have plenty of talent, but if they want to attack Southern the right way, getting Singleton touches in the paint is the move. Another 20-plus point game would not be a surprise here.
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